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Athearn Challenger

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  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Athearn Challenger
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 7:23 PM
Listed as big news on the home page. I personally can't wait till it comes out! What do the rest of you think? Cost? Gearing?

Terry
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 25, 2003 3:46 PM
I too, am anxious to see the Athearn Challenger. I wonder how it will compare to the Rivarossi Challengers? Should make for some good competition!
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 27, 2003 8:22 AM
I was very disappointed with there Mikado, I would never buy another Athern steamer. Not that I would ever buy a Challanger from anyone, but Athern has a long way to go to catch up with the others IMHP
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: US
  • 736 posts
Posted by tomwatkins on Friday, June 27, 2003 4:02 PM
Don,
What didn't you like about their Mikado? I too had some issues with mine, but was able to find solutions. Maybe I can help.

Tom
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, June 28, 2003 9:10 AM
Well Tom, on my layout I use whats called the 3 week rule. That rule says that any new piece of equipment usually needs a bit of tweaking, if i cant get it to run reliably (sp) in 3 weeks(that is zero derailments)it is outta there--I gave that Mikado 3 months, Now I have 4-8-2's 2-8-0,s from Bachmann, BLI Hudson, and a 2-8-0 from IHC.
All of them were running fine in less then 3 weeks, somewhere in another post here I wrote how I combined the Athern Mikado and IHC Consolidated to make a reliable running, good looking well detailed 2-8-2, so although I appreciate your willingness to help, my Athern 2-8-2 is now
A 0-8-0 switcher.
thanks
Don
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: indiana
  • 792 posts
Posted by joseph2 on Saturday, June 28, 2003 9:50 AM
Hi Don.My Athearn 2-8-2 used to derail, re-rail itself and derail again on just 5 feet of track, all other locomotives ran fine on it.I traced the problem to the lead,pony,truck derailing first.I solved it by removing the spring thats between the truck and frame,runs fine now.I agree it might be hard to keep a 4-6-6-4 on the tracks!I wonder if it could be painted for the D&H ?
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: US
  • 736 posts
Posted by tomwatkins on Sunday, June 29, 2003 2:11 PM
Don,
I understand. My Bachmann 2-8-0's and 4-8-2's are excellent, as are my IHC 2-8-0's. I'm eagerly awaiting BLI's heavy Mike. I needed several light Mikes so I persisted with the Athearns until I got them sorted out pretty well.

Tom
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, June 30, 2003 12:17 AM
My only gripe here is, when the manufactures come up with a "Railroad-Specific" model, such as the destinctive Union Pacific big steamers, the model does not lend itself to use on the layouts that are not trying to model the U.P. I think it would be buch better if they started marketing "generic" steamers, such as 4-8-4's, and 4-6-2's, and supplied a few detail parts to customize the models to the specific road.
While I'm giving away my age here, I recall the early days of "N"scale, and those locomotives were VERY limited as to what was available.
Remember all the "U-50-c's", PA-1's, U.P. "Turbines", etc. ?
I don't hold anything against Athearn for bringing out a model of a U.P. 4-6-6-4, but I'd like to see something more "mainstream".
How about re-tooling the dies to get our old standby Athearn diesels with scale-width hoods? I have a fleet of Athearn GP-9's that I have detailed and painted to GTW, but I hate that "Fat" shell. Most of these were done decades ago, when that was all that was available
I have always liked the Athearn line, but I wi***hey would stick to the "mainstream" models, and improve on their older castings.
Todd C.

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